Frozen Mask
by Charbonne
Summary: One action or inaction can change a person's life forever. For Hitsugaya, not being sent to Soul Society changes forever his future and those around him. AU.
1. Forgotten

_OK, first of all, the very beginning of this story is going to seem very OOC for Hitsugaya, but if you read it, you'll figure out why. Also, this is my first attempt at writing a Bleach fanfic as well as writing a fic in general since I haven't written anything in the past several years. Hopefully it's a good read, and I don't destroy the story too much with my crazy ideas. Also, for those that do not know, this will be an AU fic. Not at first, but as the story progresses, it will be one. Ulquiorra will also feature prominently in the fic as well, but in later chapters._

_**Frozen Mask:**_

_**Forgotten**_

_**By Charbonne**_

Two teal eyes stared out from beneath a crown of white hair. It had been a while since the boy they belonged to had been inside, but unfortunately for the youngster, he had gotten lost. And getting lost in the middle of winter was possibly the worst thing that could have happened. His teeth chattering, he pulled his legs up to his chest, trying to conserve as much heat as possible. It wouldn't be long now, he reasoned. Someone had to come out at some point and check to see where he was. There was no way his okaasan was going to forget that he was out.

A while later, his eyes snapped open. It had gotten warmer for some reason, and maybe with the warmth he could find his way back home. He stood unsteadily, and looked about. Snow covered the ground around the tree he had been sitting at, making the scenery softer and more delicate. He had barely taken a couple of steps when he heard something snap.

Whirling about, the boy's eyes widened as he looked at someone that could be his twin, eyes closed, and possibly sleeping. However, the thing that worried him was that the boy in front of him had a chain that led away, and as he looked at himself, he saw that the chain led straight to him, only it was severed, and the remaining links were attached firmly to something in the middle of his chest. Frantically, he pulled and tugged at the chain that was attached to himself, trying to dislodge it.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he fell to his knees. No matter how much he pulled and tugged at the chain, it wouldn't come off, and any time he yanked at it, a tearing pain ripped throughout his body. Getting desperate, and knowing something was seriously wrong, he grabbed the chain that was on the ground and tried putting the ends back together. He gave up when he realized that no matter what he tried, it wasn't going to work.

The tears that were in his eyes finally broke and ran down his face. He didn't know what happened, but he was fairly certain that the person leaning against the tree was him, and somehow he had come out of his body and... He didn't finish the thought. That would be the same as admitting that he was dead, and there was no way. He could still move around, could still see his breath while it frosted the air in front of him. Besides, it felt warmer, which meant that sooner or later someone was going to come out and try to find him.

It made no sense to him to move from the spot he was in. Someone would come, he reasoned, and take him home. Besides, his obaasan was making sweet natto, and there was no way that he was going to miss the opportunity to have some. He nodded as he sat down beside the 'other boy.' Someone would come, and when they did, he was going to be back at home, warm and safe.

It wasn't much later when his eyes shot open again. It was getting darker, and the boy shivered. It wasn't because of cold, since it felt perfectly warm to the boy, but because of the fact that no one had found him yet. He looked around, and then did a double take. The boy beside him was gone, but what disturbed him greatly was that there was only one set of tracks that led to the body, and one that led away. He got up, suddenly worried that he had been left behind.

He ran, his small feet carrying him through the snow toward where the tracks lead. He fell once or twice, and every time he did, he would resolutely push himself back up and continue to chase the prints. Suddenly a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he saw smoke in the distance. Almost there! He put in a burst of speed, knowing that soon, he was going to be safe at home.

He pulled up short, however, when he broke through the tree line. There was his village, right in front of him, but what caused him pause was that there was a pyre being erected in the center of the village. Words of denial were already forming on the young boy's lips, and he ran on, tears blinding his vision. There had to be some sort of mistake. Perhaps one of the village elders had passed, and they were making preparations for him or her. That made sense. Especially since he knew that the older members of the village couldn't take the cold as well as the younger ones, and they tended to pass away in their sleep.

That hope came crashing down around him as he saw that there was a small bundle lying near the pyre. Fear gripped at his chest as he realized the face inside of the bundle was his. Blackened with frostbite perhaps, but undeniably his. The chain that was attached to the bundle was also visible, it's broken end taunting the boy. The worst part were the people around. They seemed to neither see nor hear him, and after multiple failed attempts at getting their attention, he ran, away from the pyre and away from the village.

He didn't care low long or how far he ran. He needed to get away from the scene. His legs and chest hurt so much from the exertion, but to the small boy, he didn't feel or care about the sensation. This had to be a dream. No, a very bad nightmare. He couldn't be dead. Being dead meant that he wouldn't be around anymore, right? At least that's what his parents and obaasan told him when his ojiisan passed. He'd gone on to a better place, hadn't he? But the boy was still there. He could still see and hear everything going on around him, still feel the air rushing past him as he ran, still feel the bite of the branches of trees as they slapped across the exposed skin of his face and hands. He wasn't dead.

He tripped then, his arms catching him as his legs went out from under him. He glared at the offending culprit, a root that was sticking out of the ground. If he was dead, he wouldn't be feeling the pain in his leg from the fall, would he? The tears that had been falling returned with a vengeance, angry ones instead of their terrified predecessors. He kicked at the offending root, wishing it hadn't stopped him. The kicking intensified as the boy's frustrations boiled over, and he was kicking repeatedly at the root. Everything that had happened, everything that had gone wrong that day, it was all because of the the root. He just knew it.

Finally, exhaustion and grief caused the boy to stop. Lying on his back, he looked up through the trees to the stars above. They were so calm and peaceful, he couldn't help but wonder whether he would end up amongst them or not. He'd always imagined that that was where his ojiisan had gone to, and the wisps of a smile flitted across his face as he thought about the old man. Always patient, always calm, the older man was everything that the young boy had wanted to be. Heck, he had even inherited his unusual eye color from the oldest member of his family, and he couldn't help but wonder if now he would see him again. His hand went to his chest, feeling the chain. Did his ojiisan fall asleep and then awaken to find that he had a chain attached to his chest, too?

There was no doubt about it. The young boy decided right then and there that he was going to find where his grandfather had gone, and perhaps then he could be happy. Besides, there was no way that his family was going to want him around. He wouldn't want him around either, considering that he'd heard from the priest at the temple that wandering spirits brought bad luck with them. And now he was just that, a wandering spirit, with no place to go. Maybe, if he found his ojiisan, he could find the place he was supposed to be, and he would be happy. Just maybe.

* * *

Hitsugaya Toshiro looked about the dusty stretch of road. It had been approximately two years since he had frozen to death in the forest near his village, but now the young spirit was on a journey. He had, for the past several months, been searching for the elusive sign that his grandfather, his ojiisan, had traveled anywhere. Unfortunately for him, he soon found out that spirits basically passed without a trace wherever they went. So he strained to even catch the inclination that the older man had gone anywhere.

What had started the search was an event that happened after his death. He stayed around the village where he was born for quite some time. It wasn't that he wished to bring ill luck onto the villagers, but he had a strong desire to see his family, the family he had left behind. He knew that his mother was suffering, becoming thin and despondent, while his grandmother tried everything that she knew to bring her daughter out of the hole she had gotten into. His father spent a lot of time visiting the family grave or just working. It pained Toshiro to see his family so torn up over his death, especially since there was nothing he could do about what had happened.

However, the young spirit was not prepared for his last visit to his family. He never noticed his mother preparing for anything, or his grandmother hurrying about the house cleaning and humming lullabies, or even his father getting an extra skip in his step. Toshiro only peeked in every once in a while, and when he crept into the house one winter day, he was not prepared for the sight that lay before him.

His mother was smiling again, though he could see a bit of sadness in her brown eyes, but that smile was not directed at him. Instead, it was directed at a small bundle in her arms. A small tuft of black hair was immediately evident in the bundle, and as the young spirit peeked at what it contained, he was floored.

A baby! Why had he not noticed what was going on? Why had he not noticed that anything unusual was going on? He backed away, sadness clouding his face. He badly wanted to touch the baby, to even find out what his little brother or sister was called, but he kept his hands firmly to his sides. No, he wasn't going to get depressed over something like this. Besides, it was supposed to be a happy occasion, not something that was tragic.

Toshiro still didn't move from his spot when the door slid open and his obaasan walked in. She smiled at her daughter, wrinkles that had for the past two years been drawn in sadness and worry suddenly emphasizing the expression. "Daughter," his grandmother said, "perhaps you should get some rest. Who knows when he'll wake up tonight, and you haven't slept well since his birth."

"I know," his okaasan replied, "but look, he's got Toshiro's eyes." The smile grew more as the younger woman held the baby out for her mother to see. "Maybe it's Toshiro come back."

The grandmother huffed as she regarded her daughter. "Perhaps," she said, "but you not getting rest is not going to help out. Besides, your husband wanted to spend some time with his new son. Kami knows he hasn't had a chance to since his birth."

"You're right." The younger woman stood, handing the boy over to her mother. "Perhaps I do need rest." With that, the younger woman exited out the door, closing it securely while Toshiro could only watch.

"You know, Toshiro, it's bad manners to stand there and not give a proper greeting." Toshiro jumped about ten feet off the ground and spun around to look at his obaasan. Her kind, brown eyes examined her grandson with a bit of affection, but the look saddened a bit when they met the chain, as well as the hole that had been developing there.

"G-Gomen!" Toshiro bowed deeply to his grandmother, and then his eyes rose to look at her face. "You can see me?"

"Come on over, child. You don't have to bob up and down like a duck in water." His grandmother smiled warmly at her oldest grandchild and gestured over to her side. Toshiro did as she asked, questions already forming on his lips when she brought her hand up to silence the young spirit. "I already know what you are going to ask, and yes, I have seen you about."

"B-but, how?" Toshiro had never seen anyone that had the ability to see spirits before, and now he was wondering why she didn't say anything before. It didn't make sense, especially since she could have spoken to him all this time.

"Perhaps it's due to old age." The old woman chuckled. "Or perhaps it's due to the fact that I may have always been able to see them and just started noticing, who knows." She shook her head, and then made a cooing noise at the baby, which delighted the boy. "All I know is that you've been hanging about when you should have gone on."

Toshiro really looked confused. "Gone on? What do you mean, obaasan?"

"I mean traveled to the afterlife." A sad look came over her face. "You are no longer among the living, and sticking around could bring disaster to the village. It is really a shame that I haven't seen anyone around that could guide you."

"Who's supposed to guide me? Ojiisan? Why haven't I seen anyone else, if someone's supposed to guide me?"

"Ever the inquisitive one. I don't know who is supposed to guide you, only that you need to go on." The old woman tilted her arms up, showing the young spirit the baby. "I know you were interested on seeing him, so this is your little brother, Eiji."

Toshiro looked over at the baby. Chubby cheeks, soft black hair, and a heart-shaped mouth, the most prominent feature was however the teal eyes. The young spirit was shocked to see that like his grandmother, Eiji seemed to be staring straight at him. Toshiro put up a finger and moved it around in front of the baby's face, and Eiji made an attempt to grab at it.

Confused, Toshiro looked over to his obaasan, who smiled. "Babies have the ability to see what most others can't." She explained. "It isn't until you get older that it fades. You also had the ability as well, and would often follow your father's otoosan around. I don't know if you had the sight later, but obviously you have it now."

Toshiro nodded, and the young boy's thoughts drifted to what the meaning behind his prolonged stay in the world of the living was. An even more troubling thought was what would happen if he didn't go on. "Obaasan, otoosan and okaasan don't know that you can see me, do they?" When the old woman shook her head, Toshiro tried to fix a brave expression on his face. Taking his finger away from Eiji, the young spirit bowed to his grandmother. "I guess I have to go then, obaasan. I don't want anything bad to happen to you or anyone else." Trying to fight the tears that were burning under his eyelids, he strode quickly out of the house.

The old woman watched her oldest grandson leave, and to seemingly no one, she whispered, "Good luck, Shiro-chan."

_So was this a good start to it all? Just to let you know, constructive criticism is helpful and welcome, while flames will be used to keep me warm during the winter._


	2. Dragon and Bandit

Sorry it's taken so long to update. Having issues with my computer lately, and needed to get them resolved so that I can do schoolwork and write. Hopefully the next chapter won't be so long in coming.

_**Frozen Mask:**_

_**Dragon and Bandit**_

Toshiro glared at the spirit in front of him. It wasn't like he disrespected his elders, because if nothing else, his grandmother would seriously smack him on the head for it. No, this man was standing directly in front of the young boy and was refusing to let him pass, claiming that he was the owner of the bridge and that Toshiro had to pay a toll. Judging from the way that the man was dressed, the boy figured that he had to be some type of bandit or something, as any sort of lord over the area would be better dressed, and wouldn't be guarding his own land by himself. Besides, he looked like he was a bandit too, what with the ragged, unkempt black hair and the beady black eyes, not to mention the man looked like someone that was built like an ox.

"Now come on and pay, or else ye'll haveta take th' consequences." The man held up a club and started to tap it against his free hand, giving the youth a superior look.

"I don't have time for this," Toshiro muttered. To him it looked like the man's chain wrapped itself around the bridge, but what significance that had was beyond him. Besides, it should have been apparent that he didn't have any money.

At the boy's statement, the sanzoku glared at him. "Sheesh, not another one o' those tha' don' have money. What happened? Family so poor tha' they left ya?"

If the sanzoku was expecting Toshiro to back down and give him whatever he wanted, he was sorely mistaken. Toshiro suddenly ducked between the man's legs and raced across the bridge. The bandit howled at the boy and gave chase, swinging the club above his head like a sword. Ducking and dodging through the chains, the boy let himself grin a little as he neared the edge of the bridge.

However, that was cut short when he found himself being yanked backward by the back of his shirt. The man smirked, triumphant, as he held a struggling Toshiro about a foot off the ground. "Now tha' was a pretty sneaky trick, ya little snot, lettin' me think ya were a little slow. Too bad Tanaka Hisato was too fas' fer ya!" The sanzoku threw back his head and laughed, evidently pleased with what he had just done.

Toshiro could already feel his eyebrow twitching. This man couldn't be serious, could he? Besides, now that he had the young boy, what exactly was he going to do to him? Biting his lip, Toshiro waited for the bandit to stop laughing and level whatever punishment on him the man thought appropriate. _At least I can't die twice..._ he thought miserably.

Toshiro waited. And waited. When the boy was at the limits of his patience with the older man, Hisato suddenly stopped and peered quizzically at the young boy. "Do I know ya?" he asked, frowning as he turned Toshiro one way and then another, sure that the boy was something to be gawked at.

"Are you crazy or something? Either go ahead and do whatever to me or put me down!" Toshiro finally snapped out. Hisato was surprised by his sudden outburst and dropped the young boy to the ground, but continued to stare at him as if he were some type of oddity. Which technically he was. How often did you run into a boy that had white hair and teal eyes?

"Now I know I had a pretty good reason ta pick ya up like that, but do ya know wha' tha' was?" Kami, he was crazy. Hisato just looked at Toshiro like he'd never seen him before. "Aw, man, This is really goin' ta bug me now. What was I doin', anyway?"

"You _were_ going to thrash me because I didn't pay your stupid toll!" That was it. Toshiro had had enough of this crazy guy and stood up.

However, Hisato just shrugged at the boy. "If ya say so," he stated, giving Toshiro a look like he was the crazy one. "Tho' why in th' world I would thrash a kid is beyond me."

"You were just going to!"

"Ha! Jus' shows how much ya really know, midget. I don' do tha' ta women an' kids. Ya look too young ta be an adult, an' tha' makes ya a kid" Hisato roared with laughter at his own statement. "Wha' type o' creep do ya think I am?"

Toshiro just rolled his eyes and looked back at the bridge. A frown crossed his features when he realized that something about the bridge had changed. For one, the chains that covered the bridge were gone, and as he looked at Hisato he realized that the chain attached to the sanzoku's chest was much shorter, now only holding about five or six links instead of the hundreds that were there previously. The only thing that didn't change was that, like Toshiro, the plug in his chest was open a bit, though for Toshiro that fact held little meaning.

* * *

Toshiro was getting annoyed. He was trying his level best to ignore the sanzoku that, for whatever reason, had decided to follow him. Hisato had declared that since he couldn't remember why in fact he had chased Toshiro down, he would take care of the boy as if he were his own son. Frankly, Toshiro couldn't care less, as he had grown accustomed to being by himself over the last two years, but Hisato was adamant. As far as he was concerned, Toshiro was still a child, and needed to be protected from the 'unsavory' types, which the boy scoffed at. Who the heck was he to decide what was unsavory and what wasn't? Wasn't he a bandit?

Currently, the sanzoku was seemingly picking his nose and examining what he had dug out. "Yo, kid, do ya even know where th' hell yer goin'? If ya don', then why the hell are ya even goin' anywhere? Stupid idea if ya ask me."

"First off, don't call me a kid. My name is Hitsugaya Toshiro. And second, that's a disgusting habit, picking your nose." Toshiro narrowed his teal eyes at the man.

"Yare yare, an' here I thought ya weren' uptight like th' nobles." Hisato flicked the booger off his finger, making Toshiro crinkle his nose in disgust. "Lemme guess, yer family's all rich and shit, and they don' like trash peasants."

"No, my 'baasan told me it was disgusting, and threatened to slap me if I started that up. Besides, it's proper manners to address someone by their family name if you just met, Tanaka-san." Toshiro turned away from the older man just as Hisato gave him a funny look.

"Ain't nobody called me tha' before. Lots o' other things, but never tha'." Hisato scratched his head. "'Sides, ye've gotta answer my question. Where're ya goin'?"

Toshiro sighed. "My 'jiisan. He's dead, too, so I figured if I find him, I might be able to pass over."

"So yer lookin' for yer 'jiisan..." The bandit frowned for a moment, then face-faulted. "Hold it, yer dead?"

"So are you."

Hisato just stuttered, "B-but... I haven' even lived long enough ta even be dead yet. Neither have you!" He looked the boy over carefully. "Sides, if I was dead, why can I see ya?"

"Because the dead can see each other." Toshiro threw him an annoyed look. "Are you done asking stupid questions now?" He knew that if his obaasan had heard him, he would get smacked for it, but this man was giving him a migraine. Sheesh, did he even realize he was dead? Obviously not, if he still thought he was alive. Rubbing his face with his hands, he looked forward again.

The two of them walked quietly together, neither of them speaking. It was apparent to Toshiro that the older man was thinking about what he'd said. The boy felt bad, but he knew it needed to be said for the bandit to move on. An hour passed in this fashion, with neither of them speaking to the other, though Hisato really looked as though he wanted to discuss what was said.

Suddenly, when it looked as though the sanzoku couldn't stomach another moment of silence, a scream ripped through the air. Actually to Toshiro it sounded more like a roar, but he couldn't tell exactly what it was. Suddenly the young boy was thrown backward, held by a black arm. At least he thought it was an arm. It was heavily muscled, and ended in wicked-looking claws. The arm was attached to some type of monster with a bull-like white mask. A bluish tongue snaked out of its mouth and licked its large teeth. Red eyes glowed in amusement. "Well now, this looks like a tasty soul."

Toshiro struggled against the grip of the monster. It tightened its claws and leaned forward, leering at the boy, until a heavy club smashed against the extended arm. The creature let out a shriek and turned to glare at the offending perpetrator. Hisato grinned as he hefted his club in front of him. "Oi, bakemono, it ain't nice ta pick on a lil' kid. Guess your ugly mug didn't get the message, eh?"

Toshiro dropped to the ground and watched as the creature let out another howl and charged after the sanzoku. However, Hisato wasn't there, as the older man twisted around brought his club down on the back of the creature. The boy decided that now would be a good time to get out of the way, and scrambled to get behind a nearby tree.

The creature, however, snarled and lunged at the bandit, and when the man ducked out of the way, brought one of its legs around and caught him on his shoulder, making him drop the club. Hisato hissed in pain and rolled to get back. Now he knew he was in trouble, as the club had been his only weapon. However, he also knew that if he hadn't done anything against the monster, the boy would probably had been its snack. Grinning, his eye caught sight of a large enough tree branch. _Good enough_, he thought and grabbed up the branch just as the creature leapt at him. He managed to get the club up in time to block the incoming blow, but the creature pressed forward, causing Hisato to swear. Sheesh, how bad could his luck be? First he finds out he's dead by some punk kid, and then this thing decides to try to make a meal out of him. He snorted and noticed something falling around him. Gee, now his luck was even worse, as snow in the middle of freaking summer was falling around him.

Suddenly the creature arced its back and let out a scream. Hisato was thrown back and watched in amazement as the creature dissolved into nothingness, its mask breaking as it disappeared. His eyes widened as he saw Toshiro swaying unsteadily on his feet. In the boy's hand was his club, now smeared with blood. Realization suddenly hit as he watched the boy start toppling over. He sprinted over and managed to catch Toshiro right before he hit the ground. Shaking his head, he looked around and noticed for the first time that the snow had stopped as suddenly as it came. "Crazy crap," the sanzoku muttered.

* * *

Toshiro woke up to see trees above him and leaves under him. He felt weak, and could have sworn that he was hearing his stomach rumble. He jumped suddenly as a voice next to him said, "An' here I thought ya told me we were dead. Ya don' get hungry when ya are."

Toshiro looked over to see the sanzoku tending a fire. It looked as though his shoulder was bandaged up, and his club was tucked into his obi. What really set his stomach growling (and now he knew it wasn't his imagination) was that Hisato had somehow scrounged up a couple of bowls of rice and had caught himself two fish. The sanzoku placed one of the bowls next to Toshiro and placed one of the fish, now roasted, on top. The boy struggled to sit up, and after the first couple of attempts, managed to get himself upright.

Hisato just shook his head and took up his own bowl. He grabbed the remaining fish and swallowed it in one bite. He then looked back to the boy and snorted. The younger boy hadn't even touched his food but was instead staring at it, as though it was going to stand up and dance. "Yer hungry, right? Ya gotta eat somethin' if ya expect ta live. Sheesh, how long has it been since ya last ate, anyway?"

"Two years." The bandit blinked. He wasn't expecting that answer. Maybe a day or two, but not years. Toshiro picked up the fish and bit into it. Before he knew it, he had downed the entire thing and was halfway through the bowl of rice.

Hisato whistled. "Hell, even I wasn' that hungry. Makin' me believe tha' ya'd gone without food for that long."

All the bandit got in response was a glare. Toshiro finished off the bowl of rice and looked questioningly at the man. "What happened though, Tanaka-san? The last thing I remember was that bakemono was trying to eat you."

Hisato face-faulted. "Ya mean ya don' remember?" Toshiro shook his head. "Ya used my club and killed it. Heck, never seen such a thing in my life. Thought ya were too puny ta even fight th' thing. Then ya passed out." The older man chuckled. "I jus' made sure ya were comfortable so tha' I could get some food. Looks like ya needed it."

"I bet you stole it."

"Oi! If ya don' like th' way I got it, then ya shouldn' have ate it." The sanzoku just shook his head, knowing that the boy was just trying to find something to think about other than what just happened.

Suddenly the older man got a grin on his face as he put out his arm to give the boy a noogie. Toshiro shoved his arm away and fixed his teal eyes into a glare that could have roasted the sanzoku alive. Or frozen him. "Sheesh, ya need ta lighten up, Shiro-chan!"

"Don't call me Shiro-chan!"

_To Be Continued..._

I know that I've been not putting up the translations for the Japanese that I've been using. So I figured that at the end of the chapters, I would put up any new words and their translations to make it easier for those that are reading. Here's the translations for the first and second chapter.

Translations:

bakemono – monster, goblin

sanzoku – bandit

From previous chapter:

obaasan – grandmother

otosan – father

okaasan – mother

ojiisan - grandfather

Well, hope it was good! What with all of the snow and Ice we've been getting here, I figured that any flames that are directed my way are going to go to melting the mess. Also, I decided to become a beta reader. It couldn't hurt to help any up-and-coming authors improve their skills, and even for some of the older ones to sharpen their skills (or even just bounce ideas off me if they wish.) Any and all preferences for the beta-reading stuff can be found on my profile, so if you want, go ahead and check it out.

Charbonne


	3. Back to the Beginning

Disclaimer: Now, whoever told you I own anything of Bleach is a liar. If I did, I wouldn't be trying to write anything called fanfiction on it; it would be instead canon to the story.

**_Frozen Mask:_**

**_Back to the Beginning_**

Toshiro groaned loudly. He and the bandit had been traveling together now for a week and so far the young boy had restrained himself from killing the man several times. This was an accomplishment on his part. He'd never seen someone act so rude and barbaric before in his entire life, and now that the boy had spent a good length of time with Hisato, his dislike for the sanzoku grew. He wondered how it was that he could put up with the man for so long, but figured it had something to do with the fact that he would not leave him alone. So far, that assumption had borne fruit, as any time he had asked Hisato why he was following him, the sanzoku had stated that he was a kid and needed someone to take care of him.

Today was no different. As soon as they had both awakened, Toshiro had yet again asked why the older man was following him, and Hisato had just stated that Toshiro was a kid. Now Toshiro was stuck listening to the many exploits of the sanzoku throughout the man's life, and Toshiro suspected that most of them were either exaggerations or just flat out lies. He was more inclined to believe the second, since in every single tale Hisato was successful. If he was so successful, then the man would be alive and married off to a noble woman he had wooed and living in a grand palace. Not that he was paying too close of attention to the bandit's words, mind.

"Now, th' lady was a beaut, real gentle-like and hones'. She knew righ' then an' there tha' I was there ta rescue her, 'specially since her ass of a betrothed had gone off an' beat her. Wors' part was, her pop wasn' tha' bright an' didn' know his girl was hurtin'. So there I was, 'bout ta grab her and make a run fer it, when there th' ass was, drunker than a skunk and seein' red, 'cause he knew I was better fer her than he'd ever be, an' could kick his ass 'cross the room…"

Hisato obviously was telling his latest tale to Toshiro, and the boy was only partially paying attention. It wasn't as if what he was saying was important, anyway. Toshiro just walked along, tuning the older man out until the sanzoku looked over at him, annoyance evident on his face. "Are ya even payin' attention ta wha' I'm sayin'?"

"Truthfully, no," Toshiro replied. He just continued to walk while the sanzoku gaped at the boy.

"Ya have ta be kiddin' me." The bandit groaned. "Ya could be learnin' importan' stuff here. Ya could never learn wha' I know withou' bein' on th' street fer as long as I have."

Toshiro rolled his eyes. "The most that I have learned from you is how not to talk and act. Obviously you never learned how to do either."

"Smart mouth, kid. Yer gonna eventually get inta a lotta trouble fer havin' one." Hisato sighed and swung his club onto his shoulder. "Do ya even have any idea in where yer goin'?"

Toshiro hesitated for the briefest of moments and sighed. It was probably better if he actually said where he was going, anyway. "Back to my village." When Hisato was going to comment, the boy continued. "When we got attacked by that bakemono, I can't explain it, but I felt something. I don't remember much, but it felt like something was trying to protect me. Maybe the priest back at my village could explain it. That's what I'm going back for. To find out what happened."

Hisato sighed and ran a hand through his lank hair. "Well, if yer priest can' explain wha' happened, then who ya gonna talk ta next? Yer gramps? I don' think he'd be helpful any, since ya ain't found 'im in a long time."

The boy just glared back. "You know, I never asked you to come with me and do anything."

The bandit just shrugged. "Goes agains' my better judgemen' ta let a kid wander around alone, ya know."

Toshiro walked along while Hisato grumbled behind him. They were like this for about a good ten minutes before Hisato finally cracked. "Sheesh, is it jus' me, or are ya gettin' hungry too?"

Toshiro ignored this as well. As far as the boy was concerned, getting hungry was an anomaly. He was dead. There was no getting away from that fact. Why the heck was his body suddenly betraying him by being hungry? Unless he'd been dreaming this entire time. Toshiro frowned. He could have been delirious with a fever for a long time, and this could all be a strange dream. Why, however, was he getting hungry all the time? It made no sense. Heck, even drinking water to dull the ache in his stomach was odd.

When he came out of his musings, the bandit was nowhere to be found. Frowning again (he seemed to be doing that too often nowadays), he looked about. Nope, no sign of the sanzoku around. A tic started in the boy's forehead. Why did it seem as though the fates had it in for him, first by killing him, and now by setting this man upon him?

Looking around more closely, he became more confused. Why did it seem as though this area seemed familiar? Before he could think about it more, he heard a cry erupt through the trees. _No way…_

He broke through the trees at a run. He couldn't have been that close, could he? Fate, it seemed, liked to prove him wrong. Just as he got through the thicker parts of the brush, he spied a woman running and crying something about evil spirits. Great, just what he needed. Someone to come and try and banish him. Instead, what he got was an older woman coming out of her house, a young boy at her heels. Toshiro stopped cold. It wasn't possible. There was no way that he'd been that close to his home. He'd been away for two years, hadn't he? The old woman stopped as well and stared. And in the middle of it all, Hisato was busy walking toward Toshiro, a rice ball in his mouth and a smirk gracing his features.

"Hey, gaki! Found a bit o' food here. Figured we could split it an' a' leas' res' fer awhile…" Hisato paused and looked over at the old woman staring at Toshiro, and then back at the young spirit. "Aw, shi', and here I though' ya were lyin' 'bout yer granny seein' ya."

* * *

Kiyoko glared from one culprit to the next. First to the man who seemed to have been caring for her wayward grandson and then to the white haired boy who was said grandson. She had told him to try and find a way to pass on, hadn't she? That didn't include finding the bandit that had been plaguing the bridge south a year ago. Though judging from the chain that hung from the chest of the man, he was just as dead as her grandson.

She sighed and took a sip of her tea. It was just as well that Toshiro and Eiji's parents were out in the field, or otherwise the whole scene would be odd. As it was, Eiji seemed to be watching the two of them with wide eyes and trying to touch the club of the sanzoku. Clearing her throat, Kiyoko shot her living grandson a look. "Eiji…"

"He got big stick." The toddler looked over at Toshiro. "Got weird hair."

She saw Toshiro stiffen, and rose an eyebrow at her youngest grandson. "I thought you'd know better than to ask why some people looked different, magomusuko. Shiro-chan is your brother."

"Shiro-chan." Evidently the new name sounded odd to the younger boy, and he made a face. Then a grin replaced it and Eiji stuck a hand into Toshiro's hair. "Shiro!"

Toshiro was caught completely unaware as the toddler ran his hand through his brother's hair. "Umm…"

Hisato instead chuckled. "Shiro-chan. An' here I though' ya hated th' name, when yer granny's been callin' ya tha' fer years, prolly."

Kiyoko chuckled. "Both me and his mother called him that for years." A sober look then clouded her face. "He shouldn't be here, you know."

"He got it inna his head ta try an' ask yer pries' 'bout somethin' tha' happen on th' road. A bakemono attacked us an' tried ta eat him. Kid had some balls, though. Hit it wit' my club an' it just dissolved righ' in fron' o' us." The bandit grinned. "Kid passed out righ' after, an' after we had somethin' ta eat, figured we should talk ta him 'bout it."

The old woman just shook her head. "I don't think he'd be able to help."

"But he's the only one that could tell me what happened." Toshiro pulled his head away from Eiji's hand and stared at his grandmother in shock. "How could he not be able to help?"

"Because he really only ministers to the living. He protects the people of the village from the spirits that plague the land." Kiyoko shook her head. "I don't think that the priest knows much about what happens to souls, only that they are supposed to cross from this world to the next."

"But what do I do now?"

"Toshiro, if I knew that, you wouldn't be in this situation now, would you?" The old woman looked down into the bottom of her cup. "I'm surprised, though. I thought you would have passed on by now."

"Yeah, 'bout that…" Hisato looked over the older woman. "Is it normal fer ghosts ta get hungry? Shiro seems ta think we're freaks or sumthin' cause of it. Hell, I don' particularly care, but he seems like th' type tha' cares 'bout wha' happened." Hisato suddenly blinked as Kiyoko leveled a glare at the sanzoku. "Err, 'scuse my language. Forgot tha' older types don' like hearin' bad language…"

"Obviously." A small smile graced her features as she sipped her tea. "So, neither of you know what to do and from the looks of things, the two of you are both looking to find out what to do now." She sighed. "Well, it wouldn't hurt anything to talk to the priest, anyway. He may not know about your particular situation, but-"

Suddenly a scream rent the air. Everyone looked out toward the sound, but could see nothing of what was going on. Kiyoko started to stand, but Hisato put a hand on her shoulder. "Ma'am, I ain't 'bout ta get inta a fight 'bout who should go check it out, but ya gotta admi' it makes more sense fer someone dead ta check it out, ne?"

Toshiro wanted to protest, wanted to say that whatever it was, it would probably kill him just as easily as the cold day had done to him two years ago, but he found he couldn't. He watched as Hisato saluted the two of them, and then headed out on his own. "Idiot," he muttered. He was suddenly glad that his obaasan hadn't heard, otherwise he'd be in a lot of trouble.

* * *

Hisato looked around as he left the household. Everything appeared to be normal, except that the village appeared to be deserted. It didn't make sense, as there should be at least be some children playing around, mothers hanging laundry, things like that. But there was nothing like that. Not even the whisper of movement.

A slight scrape of the ground was all that the sanzoku got as a warning as the bakemono lunged at him. He got his club quickly out and blocked the arm that threatened to crush him, but skidded several yards. "Ah, shit," he growled, trying to push back against the creatures strength. "Ya gotta be kiddin' me…"

Evidently whatever joke the heavens were playing on him wasn't over. As soon as he stopped moving, the creature let out a chuckle. "Now, this is interesting. Who, exactly, are you?"

"Not someone ya wanna piss off, freak." Hisato really wasn't in any mood to converse with the creature, and proved it by leaping up and bringing his club down on top of the creature's head. A satisfying crunch could be heard, but Hisato didn't have a chance to celebrate as the creature caught him around the middle and threw him.

"You're not protecting the people here, are you? Because you certainly don't look like a shinigami if you are." The creature advanced toward him and smirked. "I already happen to have a record of eating one."

"Yeah, well, too bad." Hisato coughed. "I ain't one o' yer death gods, ugly." He stood up and hefted his club. "'Sides, I already took out one o' yer pals a bit back. So ya might wanna rethink doin' anythin'."

"So which are you protecting? The boy, the woman, or the baby?" _Wait, what?_ "Which is it? Because I have a claim on all three." The creature lunged again and speared Hisato on its claws. "Too bad, I think you just failed, shinigami wannabe."

_Damn it, damn it, damn it!_ He couldn't believe that he was so stupid as to let the thing through his defense. He twisted around and grabbed the claws impaling him. He wasn't about to go down without a fight, damn it! He tried yanking the appendages out, but the bakemono's grip remained firm.

Just then, the creature let out a shriek. Kiyoko stood behind the creature with a katana in hand, her eyes burning with resolve. "Leave." The tone left no room for argument. "I will cut you down, monster, if you don't."

"Ordering me around, Kiyoko? And just whose sword do you think you are holding?" Kiyoko stood firm, but Hisato could tell that the she was confused. "No, I believe that you are just going to put the blade down and join me…"

Whatever idea the monster had, it obviously didn't include the older woman bringing the sword around to try and strike. The monster brought up a limb to deflect it, and grabbed at the blade. Wrenching it out of the older woman's hands, the bakemono advanced, a leer twisting its face.

Kiyoko backed away. Without the sword, there wasn't much she could do. She saw the limb in front of her snake out, poised to strike…

Hisato stared. _Oh, shit_. The creature looked down upon the fallen form, an odd expression on its face. _No way. The older woman had a family, damn it_. The claws left the sanzoku, and he crumpled to the ground. This wasn't happening. This wasn't the way stories were supposed to go. It was supposed to be him rescuing the older woman and her grandsons. Not her dead one saving him, then herself getting torn open. What made it worse was the fact that he could see exactly how a person gets forcibly separated from their body. No, he really didn't need to know how the hell he himself got evicted from his own body.

He started to stand, but suddenly felt sick as he watched the bakemono grab and swallow the older woman's soul. _Oh, fuck. That's what the thing was after?_ For a moment, the creature was distracted as it enjoyed its meal. A feral smile found its way onto the bandit's face. Well, if it likes eating souls so much, why not give it something truly memorable…

* * *

Toshiro was frozen with shock. He knew that he had to do something, but in a way, this was worse. Things didn't just eat his grandmother. _Come on! Move it!_ But he didn't and continued to stare. It wasn't until a roar from Hisato pulled him out of his stupor. The bandit was charging straight at the bakemono, club raised high. The creature looked up, but what looked like a smirk crossed its face. "Tanaka-san!"

The sanzoku looked over, distracted for a moment, but that was all the creature needed. Toshiro watched, horrified, as the monster grabbed Hisato around the middle and slammed him against a wall. "Time to end this, shinigami-wannabe."

Toshiro watched, helpless. _No…_ His grandmother's body lay several yards away, broken and lifeless. _Can't…_ The katana lay upon the ground, its star-shaped hilt glinting. _Obaasan…_ Woodenly, the boy walked as the creature consumed the bandit.

The bakemono clicked its tongue as it turned to the house, the air around the creature turning colder. It could already smell the fear of the human left inside the structure, but it hesitated. Where was the other one? It suddenly started as it heard something that suspiciously like an inhuman shriek. It turned, only to catch the katana that descended in the face. Its face cracked, then split, leaving what lay beneath open for someone to see.

Toshiro collapsed to one knee, exhausted, the katana falling to the ground. However, his heart seized when he saw the face of the creature dissolving before him. His grandfather's face, one he had been searching for. He wanted to scream. _No!_

Eiji wandered out of the house, looking around, but froze when he spotted his grandmother. "'baasan," the younger boy called, and when he didn't get a response, he walked over where she lay. "'baasan!"

Suddenly Toshiro felt a tearing sensation deep in his chest. It quickly grew to mind-numbing pain, and he doubled over, gasping. _What…?_ Suddenly, what felt like a cool substance started leaking from his eyes and mouth. All Toshiro could do was scream, and his younger brother came over to him, trying to find out what was going on…

_To be continued…_

Sorry it took so long for me to update, but I've been trying to get a job for the last year now, as well as taking care of a new addition to the family. For all of those aware, I had a baby girl last year at about the same time I finished school, so that was why I had a long hiatus. Hopefully, it didn't turn people away from reading, and hopefully I can get back to writing this. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated, and flames will be used for an alternative fuel source for the grill outside.

Charbonne

Translations:

magomusuko - grandson


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